The formation of an electric contact between two surfaces utilizing a contact element can be used, for example, for electrical contact with flat antenna conductor structures in motor vehicles. From DE 196 05 999 A1, for example, the contacting of a flat antenna conductor structure is known. In this case, below a portion of the vehicle body a signal processing unit, especially an antenna amplifier, is mounted by appropriate fasteners. The housing of this unit has a carrier in the form of an outrigger arm provided at its end with contacts. The contacts are connected by connecting conductors which can be arranged in or on the rigid carrier and connected in turn with the signal processing unit. The contacts can make electrical contact with the contact surfaces or pads of an antenna conductor structure which can be provided, for example, upon the vehicle windshield or rear window. The carrier enables the signal processing unit to be positioned a certain distance away from the antenna conductor structure. However, because of the inflexibility of the rigid structure and the fact that only limited space may be available in the vehicle to accommodate the signal processing unit, the signal processing unit itself and the location at which the signal processing unit is to be mounted must be fabricated with narrow tolerances. It is desirable, by contrast, to have a wide tolerance range for the positioning of the signal processing unit and for the contacting of the contact surfaces or pads of the antenna conductor structure.
A further drawback of the prior art construction is that the entire signal processing unit with the carrier and the contacts on the carrier must be replaced completely or as a unit when it is damaged, for example, in the case of a vehicle crash. This need for replacement of the entire unit involves high cost especially since the signal processing unit as a rule must be integrated between the vehicle body and the ceiling of the vehicle and thus is not readily accessible.
It is also a disadvantage of the prior art structures described that with rigid carriers, the signal processing unit must be designed for the particular vehicle geometry and as a result different signal processing unit configurations must be provided for the various vehicle body types. This matching of the signal processing unit to the particular vehicle body types is likewise associated with high cost since different tools (molds) may be necessary for fabricating the different signal processor housings, the different types of signal processors have to be stocked without necessarily knowing which particular housing configuration will be required as a replacement for a damaged unit, etc.